rheubottom



' 2 Shee-ts-f-Sheet 1. J.'R. RHEUBZOTTOM & F.. M.'MACK. BUSTL'B.

(N0 Model.)

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J..R. RHEUBOTTOM 8u?. M. MACK.

'.BUSTLYE. Y V

No. 275.710.. 'Patented Apr. 10,1883.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.7

JAMEsE. EHEUBOTTOM AND FRANK M. MAcmoE wEEDsPo'Er, N. Y.

HUSTLE.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,710, dated lApril10, 1883.

Application tiled December 11, 1882. (No model.)

To all 'whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that we, JAMES R. RHEUBOTTOM and FRANK M. MACK, citizens oithe United States, residing at Weedsport, iu the county of Cayuga andState of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Buslles,of which the following is a specitication.

The object ot' this invention is to provide a bustle which shall becapable of retaining the form of its arch under the various strains,thrusts, and pressure to which it is subjected while being worn, and toavoid the common radical defects of bitching up or sagging down underpressure ot' the skirts in sitting. A further object is to stiffen andstrengthen certain portions of the bustle in a simple and eicientmanner, so as to render the structure both strong and light, to preservethe shape of the bustle under all circumstances, and to render itcapable of adjustment to the form ot' the wearer. These objects weaccomplish in the manner and by the means hereinafter described andclaimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure1 is a front view of a bustle constructed in accordance with myimprovement( Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken transversely on the line a'w, Fig. 1, through the meeting edges of the iiies. Fig. 5 is anelevation showing a portion of the edges ot' the dies with the twinwires inserted in each, a portion ol", the fabric being removed to showsaid wires.

A A indicate the two flies, which are laced together at their meetingedges by a suitable lacing, c, and attached along their outer side edgesto the side strips, B, which constitute the hip-bands.

The arch C is formed by means of two` sets of wires, D, arrangeddiagonally with relation to each other and thoroughly interlaced opinterwoven, so as to form av strong and durable arch which shall becapable ot' retaining its shape under the circumstances hereinbeforementioned. VThe lower ends of each set of wires are connected with thatporti-on of the bustle which is at thelower portions of the outer sideedges of the'iies,aud which constitutes the hip portions of the bustle.As herein shown,

these ends of the wires are secured tothe strips by metal fastenin gs E,and the re-enforcing strips F bound over the edges ot' said strips overthe wires, and secured by stitching or by any appropriate fasteners, Gr,whereby the lower ends of the diagonal arch-wires shall be j covered andrmlysecured. These wires,which pass diagonally across the rear side ofthe flies and extend out therefrom so as to form the arch, are`carriedaround and forward, so as to form flaps or wings H at the front. Thewires, in thus passing around to form the said wings, cross the upperside edges of the flies, and are secured to the upper portions of stripsB by any suitable metal fastenings, I, whereby the dies and the wiresare connected at such points. The front ends of the arch-wires areconnected by suitable fastenings to the end strips or bands, K,which canbe formed and ree-enforced in any appropriate manner. These bands K, atthe front ends of the wings, and also the bands B, are secured at theirupper ends to the waistband L, which will be provided with any suitablebuckle or other fastening. A second lower web or fastening band or bandsor tapes, L', is or are attached to the lower cor-v ners of the wings,whereby additional means are provided for securing and adjusting thebustle upon the wearer.

In order to prevent the arch-wires from rising,we provide a central tapeor band, llLwhich extends down the middle portion of the arch from topto bottom, the ends of said tape band being drawn inwardly and securedat the top to the waistband L and at the bottom to the dies, and.connected therewith preferably by the lacing a, which can be passedthrough eyelets secured in the ends of the tape. In this way the tapeforms an eflicient stay and serves to hold the wires down.

The iiies A are prevented from spreading apart by the lacing; and inorder to prevent them from folding transversely and to keep them spreadout in a proper plane or curve, we provide the meeting edges of theilies with twin wires N, which are inclosed by folds at the edges of thedies. These twin wires can be connected by metal fasteningsOat the ends,and throughout their length by paper or other composition molded aroundthem, the eyelets P for the lacing being secured between the wires.

It will be found that by connecting the side edges of each Hy with bothsets of wires, one set connecting with the upper and the other with thelower portion of said edge, a strong, light, and elastic bustle will beproduced, and that by forming the wings as described the bustle can beadjusted to the forni of the wearer.

In conclusion, we will observe that our improved bustle is designed tobe either permanently or detachably connected with a hoopskirt.Fastening appliances for such purpose will readily suggest themselves tothe manufacturer.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. ln a bustlecomposed ot' wires extending from each hipband diagonally upward andaround the rear portion, as described, a central vertical stay strip ortape extending down the middle of the arch, the wires composing saidarch passing through said stay-strip and being fastened thereto, and theupper and lower ends et said strip being connected respectively with thewaistband and with the lower ends of flies, which extend from onehipband to the other and have their meeting edges laced, in the mannerdescribed.

2. The combination, in a bustle, with the arch, constructedsubstantially as described,

otflles attached at each hip portion to the hipbands, and having their,inner vertical edges united b v a lacing, and the center strip extendingdown the middle ofthe arch, and counected at its upper and lowerextremities with the waistband and with the bottom oi' the said flies,substantially as described.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a bustle composed of wires springingfrom the hipbands, passing diagonally upward and around the arch, andextending thence beyond the opposite hip-band tovform wings lor laps,flies connected to the hip-bands and having their edges united by alacing, and a stay-stri p or stiffening-band extending to the middle ofthe arch, and having its upper and lower ends connected with thewaistband and with the bottom of said dies, respectively, substantiallyin the manner and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence ot'two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES R. RH'EUBOTTOM. FRANK M. MACK. Witnesses:

C. M. HENDERSON, H. E. RHEUBOTTOM.

